Helloooooo! I’m here today with ANOTHER TAG, this one borrowed from Liz @ Out of Coffee, Out of Mind. Inspiration is a beauteous thing, so I thought I’d give this tag a try!

Enjoy!

What is one of the most inspiring things for you?

Music! Especially film scores. Sometimes they’re so good I tear up even though the scene that’s playing out in front of me isn’t particularly sad… I just get that emotional. It makes me want to write stories that will make others feel the same way. And then I start dreaming…

But yeah, music in general. I can’t stand to write or even brainstorm without music; having only my own thoughts for company drives me up the wall. MUSIC IS MY PAL.

Where do you look for inspiration?

EVERYWHERE. Over the years, I’ve had countless professors tell me that no matter whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you need to keep your eyes open for what most people wouldn’t even glance at. I love looking for the little things that all too often go unnoticed. The inscriptions inside old books. Bizarre posters seeking missing persons or pets or property. The clutter that people keep even when they have no use for it.

When and where does inspiration tend to hit you?

When I’m bored, generally, which is nice. Whether I’m walking to class or waiting to fall asleep, there’s usually a miniature movie playing in my head while the rest of me remains on autopilot.

I also get a lot of inspiration on long road trips! I don’t get carsick from reading, so I do sometimes bring books along, but just as often I don’t bother to because I know the immense stretch of quiet time + the sights around me will kick my mind into high gear.

What is the first thing you do when inspiration strikes?

Lately? I make a note of it on my phone. A few years ago, when I didn’t have one, I relied on pen and paper more, and I still keep both in my purse just in case. I have a terrible memory and can’t be trusted to remember everything I come up with otherwise!

What is the most inspiring book, song, website, et cetera you’ve found?

Ahhh, don’t ask me such difficult questions! Even the worst media I consume is inspiring in a way, since it motivates me to do better lmao. As for specific items that remind me of ALL THE POSSIBILITIES of writing… Where The Wild Things Are. Star Wars. The Lord of the Rings film scores. Any David Bowie album. Jurassic Park – both the book and the movie. Shakespeare. The Polar Express. “Rocket Man” by Elton John.

What is one piece of advice you would give to people struggling for inspiration?

I’m probably going against everything this tag stands for by saying this, but… inspiration isn’t everything. It’s not magical and it’s certainly not reliable. It’s a lot like motivation in that way. You need ideas to write, obviously. But some days you will feel less inspired than you usually do. And that’s A-OK.

I’m a big fan of the butt-in-chair method of writing, where you sit down and make yourself Do The Thing, all the while trying to remember what it was that drew you to this story – or essay or poem or screenplay – in the first place. If you can’t remember, it’s all right to take a break.

But more than anything, we writers need discipline. Ideas are great fun when they’re all shiny and new, but they don’t necessarily stay that way forever. And if you wait to write until inspiration strikes, you’re either going to make very slow headway on any ongoing projects or have half-finished projects scattered all over the place because you keep abandoning old ideas for bright new ones.